Month: January 2018

Think defamation law is boring? You won’t if you find yourself in court So, now we can get on to why it all matters. If you use social media or blog online, you are now a publisher just the same as any journalist. Yikes *scours ALL blog posts* Google Memory Loss I think Google has stopped in­dex­ing the old­er parts of the We­b. I think I can prove it. Google’s com­pe­ti­tion is do­ing bet­ter. Ev­i­dence · This isn’t just a proof, it’s a rock-n-roll proof. Duck Duck Go (a better search engine). Do it people! The hidden beauty spots within driving distance of Glasgow you have to visit Now the snow is beginning to thaw we can go back to …

A man that has been on the periphery of my media consumption for 20 years or so, and I admit I didn’t really ‘get’ the Adam & Joe thing at first and as none of my friends were bothered I missed that boat, but after catching some of their show on 6Music a while ago, it’s been nice to revisit Mr. Buxton (on the recommendation of a friend who is a big fan*). Not only is he both affable and quirkly entertaining, his range of guests constantly surprises. I downloaded a few older episodes and have enjoyed every minute of them; Josh Homme and Matt Berry a favourite so far, purely because I just couldn’t place them as being mates …

Human beings are fascinating and the Beautiful Anonymous podcast is a fascinating sight into the life of that weeks caller. Some people come on and talk about how they can’t visual memories, one told of her escape from a violent abusive relationship, and a recent favourite was a German caller who was picking cherries in Australia and handed the phone to a ‘bushman’. 1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That’s the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard. Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can’t hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything …

Fluid Dynamics: How a Wall of Lava Lamps Helps Encrypt 10% of the Internet Computers have a real problem when it comes generating truly random numbers, which has led one web-critical cybersecurity firm to reference an array of lava lamps to create unique and unpredictable code. Clever and pretty. Nothing like me then! Attitude of Optimism “In 2018, how about cultivating an attitude of optimism? Not as a judgement, or a reaction to the world around you, but as a choice, by which you navigate and affect the world around you.” Much needed in the wake of 2017. Inside One of America’s Last Pencil Factories A pencil is a little wonder-wand: a stick of wood that traces the tiniest motions …

It’s always good to try something new and so I kicked off this year with a first; my first ever live ballet performance (watching, not performing) of Swan Lake. Having spotted it on Facebook late last year, I posted to see if anyone else was interested and one of my awesome gym buddies Martha said yes, and so it was that Martha and I found ourselves taking our seats, both a little unsure of quite what to expect but excited nonetheless. I’d figured that Swan Lake was a reasonably safe bet for a ballet virgin (no doubt those in the know will correct this assumption) if for no other reason than I know the music. I’ve not been to many …

View this post on Instagram This is what an awesome (but sleepy) 2 year old looks like A post shared by Gordon McLean (@gmclean) on Jan 14, 2018 at 4:52am PST Dear Lucy, You are two. TWO! How this has happened so quickly is beyond me (heaven knows what your parents must think!), but there you have it. You are now two years old and as your character and personality has started to show, I think, if possible, I’ve become even more smitten with my gorgeous little niece than ever. So, what’s new now that you are two. Well you are now a proper little person, with your own sense of humour, your own quiet inquisitive nature, and you are …

STOP! If you haven’t seen Oprah Winfrey’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, go and watch it right now, don’t worry. I’ll wait. Watch Prince Play Jazz Piano & Coach His Band Through George Gershwin’s “Summertime” A rock enigma wrapped around an R&B quandary, wearing platform shoes and purple velour. The cheekbones of an angel, dances moves and lyrics from an infernally sexy place, and more musical talent than it seems possible for a single person to possess in one lifetime…. Two things from this: 1. Good GOD the man was talented. 2. I really wanna buy a piano. David Letterman’s Netflix Talk Show Sets Obama as First Guest David Letterman has amassed an all-star roster of guests for his …

The eighth incarnation of Six by Nico and as we move into a new calendar year, they’ve decided to go back to some of the best dishes from 2017, but there was a twist! The menu was announced on the 5th January, and in the days prior to the announcement it was up to the public to choose what dishes would make the cut. For each of the six courses we were given a choice. Chips & Cheese (The Chippie) vs Ratatouille (Disney) Pancake (Route 66) vs Steak Pie (The Chippie) Mac & Cheese (Childhood) vs Wild Mushroom (Forest) Sea Bream Taco (Route 66) vs Fish & Chips (The Chippie) Duck (Illusion) vs Burger (Childhood) Egg (Illusion) vs Lemon Tart …

I discovered the Hidden Brain podcast late last year and it’s quickly become a favourite. The Hidden Brain helps curious people understand the world – and themselves. Using science and storytelling, Hidden Brain’s host Shankar Vedantam reveals the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, the biases that shape our choices, and the triggers that direct the course of our relationships. It’s a mishmash of topics, all delivered by a curious, engaged host who has enough background knowledge to ask good questions and never fails to get me thinking about how I act, how I engage with the world, and how I am affected by the world around me. The most recent episode is one that touches on the world we …

Thanks to the people who threw a couple of these my way, if you do spot anything and think ‘that weirdo will probably find this interesting’ then send it on (Twitter usually best way). And yes, it takes a weirdo to know a weirdo… Commencement 1999 Rocker David Bowie and jazz innovator Wayne Shorter accepted honorary doctorates while 580 graduates received their diplomas at the 1999 Berklee Commencement last Saturday. No idea why this bubbled into my timeline but it did, and it’s Bowie, and it’s wonderful. What better way to start 2018! Every Last Jedi This is a spoiler-filled first set of reactions to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Yes I’ve seen it. Yes I’m in the ‘well that …